The memo caused an uproar with parents and teachers, some of whom got in touch with a Florida-based First Amendment group, Liberty Counsel.

District spokeswoman Kara Perchal released a statement on behalf of the district indicating that as of Thursday Sinclair had been placed on administrative leave. She said there would be no further comment since it was a personnel issue.

The district said it wouldn’t make the memo public, but Liberty Counsel did.

A candy cane, the notice said, “the shape is a ‘J’ for Jesus.” An ornament? “This assumes that the family has a Christmas tree which assumes they celebrate Christmas. I challenge the thought of, ‘Well they can just hang it somewhere else.'”

Liberty Counsel sent a letter to the Elkhorn district asserting the ban showed hostility to Christians and demanding its reversal.

District officials hastily reversed the ban, saying the principal had violated district policy.

Justin Knight, a lawyer representing the district, replied to Liberty Counsel in a letter.

He wrote that the administration had “advised Manchester Elementary School staff members of the applicable Board Policy (that does allow certain Christmas symbols) and will work with staff to correct any erroneous communications and clarify any misunderstandings.”

Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, said the principal’s memo was the “most unique and I would say outrageous example” he’s seen of censoring Christmas symbols.

He called it “blatantly unconstitutional.”

“I don’t see how anyone could have claimed ignorance and claimed this was required by church-and-state law,” he said. “It just goes far beyond anything I’ve ever seen.”

He said he had never seen such a detailed list of what’s acceptable and what’s not.